Commune near Sóc Sơn filthy and polluted

HÀ NỘI — People from Xuân Thu Commune in the outskirts of Hà Nội’s Sóc Sơn District are complaining that a large quantity of waste is dirtying and polluting their locality, the online newspaper Vietnamplus.vn reported.

“There’s industrial and domestic waste littered all over the roads of the commune. People are freely littering and burning waste,” said a local, requesting anonymity. “The waste has filled up the canals and turned the water black and terribly smelly. It’s causing terrible air pollution.”

Local authorities have not done anything to solve the problem, and people are forced to live in polluted surroundings, he added.

Industrial waste such as used car tyres, used sacks and plastic boxes are seen piled up on the sides of the dyke in the commune. Waste also encroaches upon roads, reducing the driving space for motorists.

However, it’s not just industrial waste. In canals, the waste includes dead chickens and dogs that pollute and block the water.

Locals blame the two workshops that recycle sacks, plastic and electric wires for dirtying the commune. Every day, the workshops release foul-smelling smoke and discharge waste water directly into the river, they allege.

But in another section of the dyke, people themselves have burnt nylon bags, rubber tyres and used clothes, which contribute to the air pollution.

“Littering and burning waste have been going on for many years in the commune, and they have polluted the environment,” said Nguyễn Văn Thống, a local. “Black, stinky, toxic smoke generated by burning waste enters our homes despite the closed doors. Burning waste is harmful to our health.”

According to Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn, head of Xuân Thu Commune, the locals have been littering the commune for a long time. Many households refuse to pay garbage collection fees and throw waste on the streets and in the canals, he said, adding that in the past, there were three teams collecting garbage, but one stopped as it was not getting sufficient funds to operate in the commune. — VNS